


That Time on the Roof

by Krash39



Category: All Time Low (Band)
Genre: Gen, High school days, Pre-Band
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 04:41:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20960633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krash39/pseuds/Krash39
Summary: "out Alex's bedroom (window) you'd be on the roof, so we used to sneak out on the roof and drink, stuff."-Jack Barakat (Rave TV Backstage Interview)





	That Time on the Roof

"I said can you ride home with me today?" Alex leaned forward slightly ensuring Jack's attention this time. "Sure, I'll call my mom before last period and tell her. Why?" Jack asked crouching down to slide his books into his backpack. "It's a surprise." One of the corners of his mouth tugged up quickly with excitement, but just as fast, Alex pulled his expression back to neutral. Jack shook his long hair to one side out of his eyes and shut his locker.   
"What is it?" He asked pulling the strap over his shoulder. "If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise."   
This time Alex let the mischievous grin show through. Jack rolled his eyes and laughed. "You're SUCH a diva."   
The bell rang and the two friends headed in opposite directions down the hall.

  
Jack spent the first half of his World History class wondering what could possibly be in store, but came up with as many plausible as ridiculous possibilities. By last period, he'd forgotten about it entirely as he struggled through Geometry.  
"Ready?" Alex asked, practically bounced in anticipation.   
"Yea." Jack replied suddenly reminded. He pulled his cellphone out of his backpack and dialed home.   
"Hey Mom, I'm gonna catch the bus with Alex."   
"Stay over." Alex prompted  
"I'm gonna stay the night too." Jack added."No, Mrs. Gaskarth's fine with it. I will. Love you too Mom." Jack hung up the phone and slipped it into his pocket.   
Alex smiled, "This is gonna be great!"

They headed quickly towards the back lot, making their way through the maze of idling buses and their collective plume of diesel.   
The two slid into a seat near the back and Jack again tried to coax the surprise from his friend. But again Alex shook his head. "You'll see, it'll be awesome."   
The ride home to Alex's house took almost twice as long as it did to Jack's. And as the other seats emptied Jack wondered at his friend having to take the ride every day. "It'll be great when we get a car." Jack said as they flipped through one of Alex's X-Men comics. "I've seen you ride a bike Jack, you're never passing the driver's test." Alex laughed. Jack playfully elbowed him in return.

Jack leapt from the top step of the bus and immediately began running to keep up with Alex. It wasn't long until they slowed on the front step of the house. Alex fished his keys out of his pocket and lead the way in. Dumping his backpack and sneakers in the corner, below the coat rack. Jack followed suit, and then continued up the stairs to Alex's bedroom. "Where are your parents?" Jack asked flopping down on the bed, and opening an older issue of "Hit Parader". "Dad's on a business trip, and Mom had to go to my Aunt's yesterday." Alex replied opening his closet door and pulling out a box of action figures.   
"You've been home alone since yesterday? Why did you even come to school?" he asked laughing. Alex looked over his shoulder   
"Alicia Clark's my lab partner for Bio this week." He raised his eyebrows quickly and smirked.   
"Enough said." Jack snorted.   
Alicia had gone from a quiet Freshman to one of the most popular Sophomore's this year, at least as far as her contemporary males were concerned. And no one, Alicia least of all, denied it had much to do with her shirts holding at least two more cup sizes than the previous year.  
Jack watched as Alex pulled out a small cooler and laid it in the middle of the floor. "Not for nothing, she's actually really nice. She keeps giving me the answers for our classification assignment. God know's I couldn't give a shit what the difference is between a Kingdom or a Phylum." He rolled his eyes, and shook his head as if to eject the thought forcibly. "Anyway, no parents home means," He opened the lid revealing several brown bottles, swimming in a puddle of ice water. Jack's eyes widened. "Where did you get beer?"   
Alex grinned. "Left over from a party my parents had a while back."  
"Won't they know?"   
"Nope, they had a few cases of mixed stuff. I swiped a few at a time, now I've got a pretty cool stash." He handed one over twisting off the cap. Jack took it, mouth slightly agape in surprise. "DUDE!" He finally smiled. "C'mon let's go out and have some." Alex opened his window and climbed over the ledge, onto the roof. Jack followed, careful not to spill as he folded his gangly limbs through the small opening.   
The roof was their favorite 'go to' spot. Still within earshot to answer calls for dinner, but far enough to safely pursue more illicit activities.

They'd climbed out the first time towards the end of Freshman year.   
"Where did you get that?" Jack had asked in disbelief.   
"I got a guy." Alex had said holding the small joint in the palm of his hand.   
"You got a guy? What guy? You don't even know anyone who sells."   
"I do now. I have a contact."   
"Bull" Jack continued to stare at it, half expecting it to move.  
"I do!" He insisted  
"So, what? You're gonna start smoking all the time now? How are you even gonna pay for it? You don't have a job."  
"Jeeeesus! No Jack! Ok?" Alex whined sitting back. "I went to a local show, and it was in my jacket when I left. Ok? Someone probably mistook mine for theirs or something and stuck it in the wrong pocket."   
"Oh. Are you gonna smoke it?" He asked watching Alex dig in his hip pocket.   
"No, I thought I'd save it forever. Yea, you wanna?" He rolled the sparkwheel at that moment to light the flame.   
They'd spent that afternoon lighting the paper and passing it back and forth. Most of it was garbage that made them cough to the verge of throwing up. But the slight buzz they had gotten had been a real first.

Six months later they both leaned back into the slope of the roof, making faces as they sipped the bitter beers. "What do you think?" Alex asked tipping his bottle up. Jack swallowed his own mouthful, "It's not great. Sort of tastes like flat sprite mixed with something sour."   
"My dad says you get used to it." Alex replied frowning.   
"Apparently. Since every band, like ever, lives off it." Jack made an honest effort to swallow.  
"Well then, if we want this band thing to work, I guess we should start practicing" Alex grinned and took another swallow.  
"Yea, oh hey! I forgot to tell you, there's a kid in my French class I met the other day, he was wearing a 'Face to Face' shirt -"   
"Are you in love?" Alex teased.  
"No. Shut up. No, but he plays drums!"   
"Really?" His eyebrows raised at this.  
"Yea his name's Rian, um, something. I actually don't know his last name. But he's in our grade. We should invite him out."   
Alex thought for only a moment before he smiled, in earnest this time. "Ask him tomorrow."

**Author's Note:**

> It might be because I just finished reading "Doctor Sleep" but this felt kind of "Stand By Me" -ish to me...*shrug* Idunno.


End file.
